Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller has unveiled new support for First Nations communities as they battle COVID-19. Miller says 305-million-dollars in funds will be distributed to Indigenous communities across the country. He says the funding is designed to give communities the flexibility to address each of their unique needs. Miller says he recognizes the funds announced so far are not sufficient, but says the government is also working on shipping necessary protective equipment to reserves.

Figures from the federal government this morning show that 5.08 million people are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. The figure includes about two million workers who previously qualified for employment insurance benefits after March 15, but were moved to the new benefit when it became available on Monday. So far this week, 3.08 million people have filed claims for the benefit, including just over 615,000 claims alone on Thursday. The $2,000 a month benefit is available for up to 16 weeks for eligible workers affected by COVID-19.

President Donald Trump is bemoaning the ``horrible'' number of Americans who have died due to the coronavirus, while pointing to signs of hope. Trump says ``in the midst of grief and pain'' the country is seeing ``clear signs that our aggressive strategy'' is working. That includes a decrease in hospital admissions in some places. Trump's comments come on the same day as Johns Hopkins University's worldwide death toll hit 100,000. Trump, who is now weighing when to re-open the country's economy, is pointing to models that are now forecasting U.S. death rates far lower than originally estimate

The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus has hit 100,000 according to the running tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. The sad milestone comes as Christians around the globe mark a Good Friday unlike any other in front of computer screens instead of in church pews. Meanwhile, some countries are tiptoeing toward reopening segments of their battered economies. Public health officials are warning people against violating the social distancing rules over Easter and allowing the virus to flare up again. Authorities are using roadblocks and other means to discourage travel.

Ontario is reporting 478 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the province to 6,237. The province is also reporting 22 new deaths for a total of 222. It says 73 long-term care homes are experiencing outbreaks, accounting for 931 cases and 98 deaths.

The Quebec government says 25 more people have died from COVID-19, bringing the number of deaths to 241. Premier Francois Legault says he's cautiously optimistic that despite reporting 11,677 confirmed cases and 733 people hospitalized, the numbers are beginning to stabilize. The cases in intensive care actually went down today to 186. Legault says provincial health authorities are confident that physical distancing measures imposed by the province are working. The premier repeated today that in the coming weeks, the province will begin to resume some actiivites and a gradual restart to the e

The RCMP says its officers could visit homes to ensure any person entering Canada is self-isolating for 14 days.The police force says it has been asked to help enforce the Quarantine Act in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.Police can also now arrest people for violating the Act, though the RCMP says that will be a last resort.Previously they could only issue a court appearance notice or summons. Failing to comply with the Quarantine Act could lead to a fine of up to $750,000 and imprisonment for six months.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's schedule is about to change as the federal government continues to avoid invoking the Emergencies Act.Trudeau will be at the House of Commons on Saturday as the government attempts to pass the wage subsidy bill.The prime minister primarily has been working from home since March 12 when his wife tested positive for COVID-19.He says he will conduct his daily televised address to the country from parliament on Sunday.Trudeau calls the wage subsidy bill the largest economic measures Canada has seen since the Second World War.The bill will allow companies to get a 75

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has identified Pritpal Singh as the victim of a fatal shooting outside a Surrey home early April 7. Police say Singh was shot just after 12:40 a.m. outside a residence on 138A Street near 88 Avenue. Investigators are working with the Surrey RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services, and the B.C. Coroners Service to determine a motive. IHIT noted the case does not appear linked to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict. The shooting shook residents in the Newton neighbourhood. Parminder Gill, who lives nearby, told Connect News Tea